Hawaii defensive tackle Jamar Sekona refused to believe his football story could have ended last October.

Not in a pile-up on the Martin Stadium field, where Washington State players struck his left knee.

“It was like a hand grenade went off in his knee,” UH defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold recalled. “It was awful.”

Not on an operating table in Honolulu, where Sekona underwent a five-hour surgery to repair three areas of his left leg.

At the earliest, doctors estimated, Sekona would not fully recover until this Oct. 29 — a year after the surgery. More likely, Sekona, who transferred to UH in August 2024 after playing four seasons for USC, would have to prepare for a post-football life.

“They told us he might not play again,” Reinebold said. “And if he does, at least a year from the

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